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Portrait of Harry Jones.

Harry Jones

Life Support Systems Engineer

Contents

Position/Title: Physical Scientist (AST Life Support Studies)

Branch/Division: Code SCB

Affiliation: NASA Ames Space Biosciences Bioengineering Branch

Phone (desk): (650) 604-5518

Email: harry.jones@nasa.gov

Professional Biography

  • 1994-present:  Systems Engineer, Life Support, NASA ARC
    • Responsible for decision analysis, project planning and management, and system trade-off studies for space life support systems. Studies of planning and scheduling, control design, modeling and simulation, advanced designs, and system trade-offs for space life support. Requirements development for the Vision for Space Exploration. Analysis of life support cost, reliability, and open versus closed loop comparisons. ~ 150 papers.
  • 1986-94:   Radio Frequency Subsystem and Antenna Principal Engineer, SETI Office, NASA ARC.
    • SETI is the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.  Responsible for analysis, requirements, development, cost and schedule of NASA developed low noise radio receivers and technical oversight of cooperating large radio astronomy antennas.  Analyzed radio frequency interference, cost and performance of large antennas and antenna arrays, and optimum signal modulation for interstellar communication.  As acting project manager 1986-9, developed project plan, budget, and schedule. 
  • 1984-6:   Chief, Communications and Network Development Branch, NASA ARC. 
    • 35 employees.  Responsible for design and development of all new communications systems at Ames, including digital voice/data PBX, audio and video distribution systems, computer networks, local area cable and fiber optic systems, and satellite ground stations. 
  • 1984-5 Video compression consultant, independent contractor
    • Consultant on video compression and satellite systems for Satellite Systems Engineering, Compupix, Compression Laboratories Inc., and Widergren Communications. 
  • 1979-84:   Communications Group Leader, NASA ARC.
    • Responsible for design and development of satellite ground stations for domestic TV, Intelsat telephone, and satellite message systems.  Landsat satellite image processing. 
  • 1974-9:   Postdoctoral Research Associate and Self-Employed Contractor, NASA ARC. 
    • Designed video compression systems and error correcting sequential codes for satellite applications.  Developed the Discrete Cosine Transform and conditional replenishment video compression methods that are the basis of the universal JPEG and MPEG standards.
  • 1970-4:   Ph.D. student and Research Assistant, University of Pennsylvania.
    • Optimum design of communication signals.  Interconnection of privately owned equipment to the Bell system. 
  • 1966-9:   Communications Engineer, GE Valley Forge Space Center. 
    • Satellite telemetry, Apollo TV ground station, and direct broadcast satellite communications systems. 
  • 1962-6:   Radar Engineer, Ford Aerospace. 
    • Radar detection and mapping systems and radio frequency subsystems.  Sergeant and Sidewinder missile failure analysis.
  • 1961:   Co-op Engineering Student, Ford Aerospace. 
    • Radio frequency satellite mapping systems testing. 

Education

  • Ph.D. in Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, 1974. 
    • 4.0 out of 4.0 average.  GRE 770, 780 (98th, 97th percentiles). 
  • MBA with distinction, Santa Clara University, 1982.
    • 3.75 out of 4.0 average.  GMAT 721 (99th percentile). 

Awards

  • 2014 ICES Award for Technical Excellence

Publications

See Google Scholar “Harry Jones” NASA

  1. Jones, H., “High Reliability at Minimum Cost,” 70th Annual Reliability & Maintainability Symposium (RAMS), Albuquerque, NM, January 22, 2024.
  2. Jones, H.W., 2023. Take Material to Space or Make It There?. In ASCEND 2023 (p. 4618).
  3. Jones, H.W., 2023. Design for Reliability (DfR) in Space Life Support. In ASCEND 2023 (p. 4695).
  4. Jones, H.W., 2023. Long Term Human Presence in Space Requires Artificial Gravity and Radiation Shielding. In ASCEND 2023 (p. 4654).
  5. Jones, H.W., 2023, July. Oversimplification of Systems Engineering Goals, Processes, and Criteria in NASA Space Life Support. In INCOSE International Symposium (Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 1013-1028).
  6. Jones, H.W., 2023, January. NASA Should Not Use the Traditional One-or Two-Fault Tolerance Rules to Design for Reliability. In 2023 Annual Reliability and Maintainability Symposium (RAMS) (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
  7. Jones, H., “The System Complexity Metric (SCM) Explains Systems Design and is Correlated with Cost and Failure Rate,” ASCEND, Las Vegas, NV, Nov 8, 2021.
  8. Jones, H., “The Challenger Tragedy was Caused by an Apollo Mistake, Terminating Risk Analysis,” 11th IAASS Conference, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Oct 21, 2021.
  9. Jones, H., Should Oxygen, Hydrogen, and Water on the Moon Be Provided by Earth Supply, Life Support Recycling, or Regolith Mining?” ICES-2021-147, 50th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 11-15 July 2021.
  10. Jones, H., “Repair at the Lowest Level Can Fail Due to Complexity,” 67th Reliability& Maintainability Symposium (RAMS), Orlando FL, May 2021.
  11. Jones, H., “A New Vision and More Rational Process Will Advance Space Life Support Through Better Projects,” ICES-2020-220, International Conference on Environmental Systems, ICES 2020.
  12. Jones, H., “The New NASA Approach to Reliability and Maintainability,” 66th Reliability& Maintainability Symposium (RAMS), Palm Springs, CA, Jan. 2020.
  13. Jones, H., “Moon Base Life Support Design Depends on Launch Cost, Crew Size, and Mission Duration,” 2019-17, 49th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 7-11 July 2019, Boston, Massachusetts.
  14. Jones, H., “Program Promotion Can Distort Space Systems Engineering and Deny Risk,” ICES-2019-16, 49th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 7-11 July 2019, Boston, Massachusetts.
  15. Jones, H., “Dormancy Should Be Avoided for Mars and Deep Space Recycling Life Support,” 2019-13, 49th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 7-11 July 2019, Boston, Massachusetts.
  16. Jones, H., “Space Program Advocacy Can Distort Project Management and Damage Systems Engineering,” 70th INTERNATIONAL ASTRONAUTICAL CONGRESS (IAC), 21–25 October 2019, Washington, D.C. a
  17. Jones, H., “Improving Reliability and Maintainability (R&M) in Space Life Support,” ICES-2018-60, 48th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 8-12 July 2018, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
  18. Jones, H., “The Future Impact of Much Lower Launch Cost,” ICES-2018-58, 48th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 8-12 July 2018, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
  19. Jones, H., “Hydrated Food Should Be Used on Long Space Missions,” ICES-2018-56, 48th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 8-12 July 2018, Albuquerque, New Mexico.